President-elect Donald Trump has spent the weeks since his 2024 election victory revealing the names of his picks for the most sensible White House staff, ambassadors and branch chiefs to fill his new administration. In addition to his Cabinet members, many of those appointees will play key roles in shaping Trump’s second term policies and achieving his goals on issues ranging from health care and immigration to price lists. and much more.
Here’s a look at Trump’s picks and the latest on his transition:
President-elect Trump plans to install Texas border czar Mike Banks as chief of the U.S. Border Patrol, sources told CBS News.
The banks will upgrade leader Jason Owens, who, based on resources, is expected to retire at the end of this year.
Banks has been a key player in Texas’ aggressive border effort, under which the state has bussed tens of thousands of migrants to major U.S. cities, deployed the National Guard to fortify the banks of the Rio Grande with razor wire and assigned troopers to arrest migrants on criminal trespassing charges.
President-elect Donald Trump announced two picks for the U. S. Department of Agriculture on Jan. 16.
He chose Richard Fordyce for the position of undersecretary of agricultural production and conservation.
“Richard is a proud fourth-generation soybean, corn, and cattle farmer, who served as administrator of the USDA Farm Service Agency in my first term and in the past served as Missouri’s director of agriculture,” Trump wrote on social media.
Trump has selected Michael Boren as his undersecretary of herbal resources and environment.
Trump said Boren, co-founder of Clearwater Analytics, “will work to revitalize forestry enforcement at a time when it is desperately needed. “
President-elect Trump announced on January 9 that he had selected Christine Jack Toretti as the next US ambassador to Sweden.
“Christine is a businesswoman, philanthropist, public servant, and member of the RNC committee of the Greater Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,” Trump said.
Toretti was nominated to serve as the U.S. ambassador to Malta in Trump’s first administration. She received certificates of competency in 2018 and 2019 but was never confirmed for the position.
Democratic senators discovered that, according to the Arizona Daily Star, he was subject to a restraining order for leaving a bullet-riddled target sheet at the workplace of an Arizona doctor he angered, and his nomination did not take place. . Trump did not reappoint her in 2020, according to a report from the Democratic staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
President-elect Trump announced on January 6 that he had selected Joseph Nocella Jr. to be U. S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.
The Eastern District includes all counties on Long Island, adding Kings and Queens counties in Brooklyn, as well as Richmond County in Staten Island. Nocella Jr. has served as a Nassau County District Court Judge since 2022.
“Judge Nocella has a strong record of bringing Law and Order to the incredible people of New York, serving as a Nassau County District Court Judge, and Family Court Judge,” Trump wrote on social media. “A proud graduate of Columbia Law School, he has also spent over ten years in private practice.”
President-elect Donald Trump announced on Jan. 3 that he picked Roman Pipko to serve as ambassador to Estonia.
Pipko was born and raised in Estonia and immigrated to the United States in 1981, according to an article on Soviet law he co-authored. He worked at the W. A. Institute. Harriman for Advanced Soviet Studies at Columbia University and has a law degree from Yale Law School.
Trump said Pipko has extensive experience dealing with foreign governments and represents American interests at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the Russian-American Enterprise Fund.
“As a legal immigrant, he has lived the promise of America and I believe he will advance American interests in his new role,” Trump said.
President-elect Donald Trump announced on January 2 that he had selected Benjamin Leon Jr. as ambassador to Spain.
León is the founder of Leon Medical Centers, which provides care to Medicare patients in the Miami area. León has also owned a stable for decades where he breeds Paso Fino horses and has also dabbled in thoroughbred racing, according to ESPN.
President-elect Donald Trump announced his possible options for positions within the Treasury Department on Jan. 2:
President-elect Donald Trump announced on Jan. 2 he has picked Joe Popolo to serve as the next United States Ambassador to the Netherlands.
Popolo is the founder and CEO of Charles
“Joe is a successful businessman and philanthropist in many other industries,” Trump said on social media. “He is a proud graduate of Boston College, a member of its board of directors, and also a patron of the arts at the Vatican Museum. “
President-elect Donald Trump said on Christmas that he would nominate Kevin Marino Cabrera as ambassador to Panama, whom he accused in his announcement of “scamming us in the Panama Canal, beyond his dreams. “crazier. “
Cabrera is a Miami-Dade County commissioner and vice president of the International Trade Consortium and the Emergency Management and Community Safety Committee. He previously worked as Florida state director for Trump’s 2020 re-election campaign and for the Republican National Committee.
“Few understand Latin American politics as well as Kevin – He will do a FANTASTIC job representing our Nation’s interests in Panama!” Trump wrote on social media.
Trump has warned in recent days that the United States deserves to take back the Panama Canal, which has been operated entirely through the Panama Canal Authority, owned by the government of Panama, since 1999, following the signing of a treaty through the President Jimmy Carter in 1977.
In response, Panama President José Raúl Mulino said that “every square meter” of the canal “belongs to Panama and will continue belonging to Panama.”
“We’ll see about that!” Trump posted after Mulion’s reply. In another social media post, Trump shared an image of an American flag planted in the canal with the caption “Welcome to the United States Canal!”
According to the US State Department, the United States uses the canal more than any other country, with 72% of all ships passing to or from US ports.
President-elect Donald Trump announced on Dec. 4 he has picked ambassadors to Portugal and Malta.
Somers Farkas, the wife of Jonathan Farkas, heir to the Alexander Branch fortune, is Trump’s choice as the next US ambassador to the Republic of Malta.
“Somers is a highly successful model, philanthropist, documentary producer and businesswoman,” Trump wrote on social media.
Trump also announced that he had selected automotive businessman John Arrigo as the next US ambassador to Portugal.
“John is a highly successful entrepreneur in the automotive industry and a champion golfer. For more than thirty years, he has been a business leader in West Palm Beach and has a good reputation everywhere,” Trump wrote on social media.
Arrigo owned car dealerships in Florida before promoting them in 2020, according to the South Florida Business Journal.
President-elect Donald Trump is filling out his National Security Council with several who served in his first administration.
Among them are Brian McCormack, a longtime energy consultant, and Andrew Peek, a veteran Middle East adviser, according to sources familiar with the matter.
The executive secretary of the NSC will be Catherine Keller, according to several other people close to the new recruits. Keller was deputy secretary general at the Department of Commerce and deputy secretary of staff in the White House during Trump’s first term.
Micah Ketchel, Florida Republican Rep. Mike Waltz’s staff leader, will serve as senior adviser and special assistant to the president, one of the sources said. Trump announced Waltz as his pick for national security adviser in November. Ketchel previously worked for the Republican Attorneys General Association and the National Republican Congressional Committee.
One of Trump’s transition team spokesmen, Brian Hughes, will serve as deputy national security adviser for strategic communications, resources say. And James Hewitt, Waltz’s congressional communications director, will take on a communications role in Trump’s new NSC.
Learn here.
President-elect Donald Trump announced on Dec. 22 he has chosen Mauricio Claver-Carone for the role of State Department special envoy for Latin America. Claver-Carone held several positions over the course of Trump’s first administration, including senior director for Western Hemisphere affairs at the National Security Council. Trump said on social media that Claver-Carone would be focusing on immigration and fentanyl.
Claver-Carone later became president of the Inter-American Development Bank. He stood down from his position in 2022 following an investigation into allegations that he had an affair with a staff member, according to Reuters. He denied the matter and, in a Wall Street Journal op-ed, accused Biden’s leadership of orchestrating a smear crusade against him.
Trump also announced he has tapped Callista Gingrich to serve as U.S. ambassador to Switzerland. Gingrich, the wife of Newt Gingrich, was ambassador to the Vatican during Trump’s first term.
Trump also announced that he would nominate Ken Howery to serve as US ambassador to Denmark. Howery was the US ambassador to Sweden during Trump’s first term. “As co-founder of PayPal and the venture capital fund Founders Fund, Ken has transformed American leadership in innovation and technology into stories of global good fortune, and that experience will be invaluable in representing us abroad,” Array Trump wrote.
He also said, “For purposes of National Security and Freedom throughout the World, the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity.”
Trump in his first term had explored the idea of buying Greenland, which Denmark’s leadership made clear was not for sale.
President-elect Donald Trump announced several possible options for positions in the Department of Defense on Sunday, December 22.
Trump said he will tap Stephen Feinberg to serve as Deputy Secretary of Defense. Feinberg, the cofounder and CEO of Cerberus Capital Management, was the head of Trump’s Intelligence Advisory Board during his first term.
Trump also said he had selected Elbridge Colby for the position of Under Secretary of Defense for Policy. Colby was also part of the first Trump administration, serving as Under Secretary of Defense. In the past, Colby spoke to CBS News about his confidence that the US wants to be more prepared to counter China’s growing influence in Asia.
Michael Duffey has been announced for the position of Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment. “Mike has been a strong supporter of our warfighters and the American taxpayer during his many years of public service, serving at the Department of Defense and the Office of Management and Budget in my first administration,” Trump wrote on social media.
During Trump’s first impeachment trial in 2019, then-Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer pointed to an email Duffey sent while he was associate director for national security systems at the Office of Management and Budget, in which he informed the Pentagon about the freeze on aid to Ukraine. as an example of why witnesses deserve to be called impeachment. In the end, no witnesses were called.
Trump also said he had selected Emil Michael, a former Uber executive, to be undersecretary of defense for studies and engineering. “Emil Will, our military has the most technologically complex weapons in the world, while saving our taxpayers A LOT of money,” Trump wrote.
Trump has selected Republican billionaire Tilman Fertitta as U. S. ambassador to Italy, the president-elect announced Dec. 21.
“I am pleased to announce that Tilman J. Fertitta has been nominated to serve as the United States Ambassador to Italy,” Trump said in a post to his Truth Social platform.
Fertitta is the owner of the NBA’s Houston Rockets and CEO of Landry’s, Inc. Earlier this month, other people familiar with the resolution told CBS News that Trump would pick Fertitta for the job.
During Trump’s first administration, Lewis Eisenberg was his ambassador to Italy. If introduced in the Senate, Fertitta would update the current U. S. ambassador to Italy, Jack Markell.
President-elect Donald Trump announced on Dec. 21 he has tapped Mark Burnett as the special envoy to the United Kingdom, a newly-created post.
The 64-year-old Briton, a prolific television producer, is best known for launching the reality show “Survivor” in the United States. He also created and produced the exhibit “The Apprentice,” which put Trump back in the spotlight in the early 2000s.
A source close to the resolution told CBS News that Burnett was originally listed as a candidate for U. S. ambassador to the U. K. , but with dual citizenship, which confuses the situation. That variety ultimately went to Republican donor Warren Stephens, chief executive of investment bank Stephens Inc.
It’s unclear exactly what Burnett’s envoy role will entail.
“With a distinguished career in television production and business, Mark brings a unique combination of diplomatic acumen and foreign recognition to this vital role,” Trump wrote on social media. “Mark will work on diplomatic relations, focusing on spaces of mutual interest, and added trade, investment opportunities and cultural exchanges. “
Trump added that “Mark brings a unique combination of diplomatic acumen and foreign popularity to this position. “
— Margaret Brennan contributed to this report.
President-elect Donald Trump announced on Dec. 21 that he selected David Fink as the next Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration.
“I am proud to announce that the renowned David Fink, a fifth-generation railroad worker, will be the next Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). “David will bring more than 45 years of transportation leadership and good fortune that will propel the FRA into a new era of protection and technological innovation,” Trump wrote on social media.
President-elect Donald Trump announced on Dec. 21 that he selected Aaron Reitz as the next Head of the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Policy.
“I must name Aaron Reitz as the next head of the Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Policy (OLP). Aaron will lead the OLP in crafting and implementing DOJ war plans to advance my law and order timeline. ” and repair the integrity of our justice system. “Will work with Attorney General candidate Pam Bondi,” Trump wrote on social media.
Reitz is currently the leader of Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, who ran for president against Trump in 2016.
President-elect Donald Trump announced on December 21 that he has chosen Chad Mizelle to serve as Chief of Staff of the Department of Justice.
“I must announce that Chad Mizelle will serve as Chief of Staff at the Department of Justice, where he will work with our glorious candidate for Attorney General, Pam Bondi,” Trump wrote in an article on Truth Social.
Pam Bondi, the former attorney general of Florida, selected through Donald Trump to serve as U. S. attorney general hours after her first choice, Matt Gaetz, withdrew after a federal investigation into sex trafficking and an ethics investigation cast doubt on her ability.
Trump said during his first term Mizelle, “helped to secure our Border, and stop the flow of illegal drugs and aliens into our Country,” as the General Counsel and Chief of Staff at the Department of Homeland Security.
“Chad is a MAGA warrior, who will bring accountability, integrity and justice to the Department of Justice,” Trump wrote.
President-elect Donald Trump announced Dec. 17 that he has selected former Republican Georgia Senate candidate Herschel Walker as his pick for U.S. ambassador to the Bahamas.
Walker is a former high school football and NFL star whose failed 2022 runoff campaign against Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock was mired in controversy.
“Herschel has spent decades serving as an Ambassador to our Nation’s youth, our men and women in the Military, and athletes at home and abroad,” Trump said in a Truth Social post announcing the selection.
The variety will still have to be shown through the Senate. Kimberly Furnish has been the embassy’s chargé d’affaires since June, and the United States has not had an active ambassador to the Bahamas since 2011. In 2017, Trump chose billionaire Doug Manchester for the position, but the selection fell through and CBS News report A 2019 investigation revealed an imaginable pay-for-play scheme involving the Republican National Committee and Manchester, which ultimately withdrew its name.
During his embattled Senate bid, Walker — who ran on an anti-abortion rights platform — was forced to contend with allegations that he had previously paid for the abortions of two women, claims he vehemently denied on the campaign trail.
The race was closely watched as Warnock’s victory gave Democrats a narrow 51-seat majority in the Senate. They lost this majority in the November elections.
Despite losing money in 2022, Walker remained a surrogate for Trump in the 2024 election, holding him back on the path of the crusade.
President-elect Trump announced on Dec. 17 that he will nominate Nicole McGraw for the role of U.S. ambassador to Croatia.
“Nicole is a world-renowned philanthropist, businesswoman, and art collector. She opened her first art gallery in Palm Beach Gardens in 2006 and has since built a clientele that spans the globe, as well as a successful hedge fund of fine arts. Investments”. Trump wrote on social media.
Trump announced his picks for several other ambassadorships on Monday, December 16.
He named Lou Rinaldi as his team ambassador in Uruguay. “Lou, a successful businessman, entrepreneur and lifelong friend, brings a lifetime of delight and exclusivity to this vital role,” Trump wrote in an article in Truth Social. “Having grown up in Uruguay, he has a deep knowledge of the country’s culture and history. ”
Leah Francis Campos, Trump’s selected ambassador to the Dominican Republic, previously served as a case officer at the CIA and then as senior adviser for the Western Hemisphere to the House Foreign Affairs Committee. She is also the sister of Fox News host Rachel Campos-Duffy, and Campos’ brother-in-law, former Congressman Sean Duffy, is Trump’s nominee for transportation secretary.
Trump has chosen Arthur Graham Fisher, founder of a real estate company in North Carolina, as ambassador to Austria. “Art supports America First’s policies and will make us proud in Austria!” he wrote.
And Stacey Feinberg was chosen for ambassador to Luxembourg. Trump said Feinberg worked with her father at his sports and entertainment law firm before becoming a Broadway producer, motivational speaker, and serving on the board of the Women Founders Network.
Trump announced on Monday, Dec. 16, that George Glass is his choice for U.S. ambassador to Japan. Glass’ likely pick was first reported by CBS News last week.
Glass served as ambassador to Portugal during the first Trump administration. Before that, he worked in investment banking and real estate.
“Highly respected man. That’s right,” Trump said when asked at a news conference if Glass was his pick. “Hghly respected. He’s been an ambassador before did a fantastic job. We consider Japan very important. He’s very highly respected.”
—Jennifer Jacobs, Ed O’Keefe and Fin Gómez
Trump on Dec. 14 announced that he has selected Richard Grenell as his presidential envoy for special missions, a new position.
The 58-year-old Grenell, a longtime Trump loyalist, served as both acting U.S. director of national intelligence and U.S. ambassador to Germany during Trump’s first term.
Grenell, however, resigned as ambassador in June 2020 after straining relations with Germany over his public positions on a number of issues, adding that he spoke out in favor of right-wing European political movements and threatening to withdraw U. S. troops from Germany amid the first Trump administration. . constant complaint from NATO.
In early 2020, previous political consulting work he reportedly performed for foreign entities brought accusations to the attention of Senate Democrats that he may have presented a clash of interests with his positions as ambassador and acting director of the DNI.
Grenell also served as State Department spokesperson to the United Nations during George W. Bush’s administration.
It’s unclear what the newly created position entails, but Trump in a Truth Social article wrote that Grenell “will work in some of the world’s locations, including Venezuela and North Korea. ”
Trump announced on December 14 that he had appointed Edward Walsh as US ambassador to Ireland.
Walsh is president and founder of Walsh Company, a real estate company based in New Jersey.
If introduced in the Senate, Walsh would upgrade Claire Cronin, the current US ambassador to Ireland.
Trump announced on December 14 that he plans to name Troy Edgar as deputy secretary of Homeland Security.
“Troy served for me previously as the Chief Financial Officer and Associate Deputy Under Secretary of Management for Homeland Security, where he did an outstanding job managing their $90 Billion Dollar budget, resourcing critical immigration policy, and funding Wall construction,” he wrote on social media. Edgar is currently an executive at IBM, Trump said.
Trump noted that Edgar in the past served as mayor of Los Alamitos, California, and said “he helped me lead the town and county revolt opposed to sanctuary towns in 2018. “
Trump pledged in the crusade to adopt the largest deportation program in history.
Trump announced Dec. 14 on Truth Social that he had selected former California Rep. Devin Nunes to chair the President’s Intelligence Advisory Council.
Nunes, a staunch Trump ally, served in the House for about two decades before resigning from Congress in January 2022 to assume his current role as CEO of Trump’s Truth Social platform.
Since its creation in 1956, the role of the PIAB has been to provide the President “with an independent source of recommendations on the effectiveness with which the intelligence network meets the intelligence desires of the country and on the vigor and acumen with which the network plans for the future”, according to its government description.
In his announcement, Trump indicated that Nunes will continue in his position as CEO of Truth Social.
Nunes, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, however, in 2017 recused himself from the committee’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election due to an investigation by the Office of Congressional Ethics into allegations that he possibly would have leaked classified information.
Trump wrote that Nunes “will leverage his experience as former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee and his key role in exposing the Russia, Russia, Russia hoax, to provide me with independent evidence of the effectiveness and appropriateness of U. S. activities. ” . intelligence community. ”
He added that the advisory council will be made up of “outstanding citizens outside the federal government. “
Trump on Dec. 14 picked businessman Bill White to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium.
In an article in Truth Social, Trump wrote: “Bill is a highly respected businessman, philanthropist, and author for our nation’s military, veterans, and first responders. He is the CEO of Constellations Group and former president of Intrepid Sea. The Aerospace Museum is pleased to announce that Bill White will serve as United States Ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium.
He said White raised “over $1.5 Billion Dollars for our fallen heroes, catastrophically wounded, and severely burned Service Members.”
On Dec. 11, Trump nominated Michael J. Rigas as assistant secretary for control and resources.
“Michael will bring day-to-day jobs to the State Department as he did across the government when he served in my first term as deputy director and acting director of the Office of Personnel Management, and acting deputy director for oversight at the Office of Management and Budget,” Trump wrote.
Trump announced in December that he would nominate Daniel Newlin as ambassador to Colombia.
“Dan, a highly well-rounded executive, businessman and former sheriff’s detective, boasts an impressive 28-year career at the Orange County Sheriff’s Office in Orlando, Florida,” Trump said.
Newlin is also the founder of the Florida-based Dan Newlin Injury Attorneys.
“With his Law Enforcement expertise enabling him to navigate complex international issues, and his business insights fostering economic partnerships, Newlin stands as a powerful advocate for U.S. interests, and a Champion for strengthening ties, and making a difference in the World,” Trump said. “Dan will do a great job!”
Trump announced he plans to nominate Peter Lamelas for the role of ambassador to Argentina on Dec. 11. Lamelas is the founder and former CEO of MD Now Urgent Care, which has multiple locations in Florida.
“I have already nominated you to serve on the Department of Justice’s Medal of Valor Review Committee, which honors the courage of our nation’s first responders,” Trump wrote on social media. “He served on the Florida Board of Medicine and as a municipal commissioner in Manalapan, Florida. ”
Trump hired Kari Lake, a former longtime news anchor who lost her bid to an Arizona senator in 2024 and the state’s governor in 2022, to head the US television station Voice of America. Trump also indicated in his announcement that he would soon announce who will head the US Agency for Global Media, which oversees Voice of America.
Following Trump’s announcement, Lake wrote on social media that she felt “honored” to be selected.
“Under my leadership, VOA will excel in its mission: chronicling America’s achievements in the world,” Lake said.
Trump announced on December 11 that he had selected Leandro Rizzuto Jr. as ambassador to the Organization of American States. Rizzuto Jr. is the son of Leandro Rizzuto, the founder of Conair, where Rizzuto Jr. developed his career.
Rizzuto Jr. previously served as a senior official to the U. S. consul general in Bermuda toward the end of Trump’s first term. First, Trump nominated Rizzuto Jr. to serve as ambassador to Barbados in 2018, but the Senate voted not to vet him.
“Lee will be our next ambassador to the OAS! ” Trump wrote on social media.
Trump announced on December 10 that he would name former US ambassador to El Salvador, Ronald Johnson, as his next ambassador to Mexico.
Johnson, an Army veteran and career civil servant, served as ambassador to El Salvador during Trump’s first term.
“Ron will work intensively with our wonderful nominee for Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, to advance strong foreign policies for our nation’s security and prosperity that put America first,” Trump said in a message to Truth Social.
Johnson served in the U. S. Army from 1984 to 1998, retiring as a colonel. He then joined the CIA, where he held positions, adding the CIA Science and Technology Liaison to the United States Special Operations Command.
Trump’s pick comes after he threatened last month to institute a 25% tariff on all imported Mexican and Canadian goods when he takes office in January in response to drug trafficking and the border crisis.
This prompted a call between Trump and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, who also suggested that Mexico could simply retaliate if he followed through on his threat.
Billionaire Tilman Fertitta, CEO of Landry’s, Inc. and owner of the NBA’s Houston Rockets, is Trump’s pick for the post of U. S. ambassador to Italy, other people familiar with him told CBS News on Dec. 10. the resolution.
The transition declined to comment.
Fertitta, a Trump friend and longtime Republican Party donor, runs Landry’s Inc. , a Texas-based company that owns hotels, restaurants and casinos.
Fertitta, who starred in a reality TV show on CNBC called “Billion Dollar Buyer,” owns more than 600 properties in 36 states and in over 15 countries, according the company’s website, including the iconic Golden Nugget Casino, Morton’s The Steakhouse, the Palm Restaurant and Joe’s Crab Shack.
Fertitta joined Trump, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk for the launch of a Starship rocket in Texas in November.
During Trump’s first administration, Lewis Eisenberg was his ambassador to Italy.
Trump has selected former Fox News host Kimberly Guilfoyle as U. S. ambassador to Greece, the president-elect announced Dec. 10.
Guilfoyle, 55, dated Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr. , and served as a fundraiser for his presidential campaign. He seemed to be right up there with Trump and his family on election night and also gave a speech at the Republican National Convention in July. .
“Kimberly is perfectly suited to foster strong bilateral relations with Greece, advancing our interests on issues ranging from defense cooperation to trade and economic innovation,” Trump said in a post to Truth Social.
Guilfoyle served as a prosecutor in California early in his career. She is divorced from California’s Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom.
“I’m honored to accept President Trump’s nomination to serve as the next Ambassador to Greece and I look forward to earning the support of the U.S. Senate,” she wrote in her own social media post.
—Jennifer Jacobs and Fin Gómez
Trump announced Dec. 10 that he has selected Andrew Ferguson as his pick to lead the Federal Trade Commission.
Since April, Ferguson has served as one of the five commissioners of the FTC. If confirmed by the Senate, he would replace current Democratic chair Lina Khan.
Prior to serving as an FTC commissioner, he was solicitor general of the Commonwealth of Virginia. He was also previously chief counsel to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Republican counsel to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee.
“Andrew has a proven track record of standing up to Big Tech censorship and protective, laid-back speech in our wonderful country,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social article when announcing his election.
The FTC is responsible for enforcing antitrust and consumer coverage laws.
Trump’s decision comes the same day a federal ruling in Oregon temporarily blocked Kroger’s $24. 6 billion acquisition of rival supermarket chain Albertsons in reaction to a lawsuit filed through the FTC and Eight state attorneys general and the District of Columbia opposed the deal, arguing that it would obstruct competition, increase costs and harm workers.
Trump announced on Truth Social on Dec. 10 that confidant and top donor Tom Barrack as his pick to serve as ambassador to Turkey. Barrack, 77, is a billionaire investor who was an adviser to Trump during his first term and also served as the chair of his 2016 Inaugural Committee. In 2022, Barrack was accused of using his connections to the Trump administration to try to sway U.S. foreign policy for a client, the United Arab Emirates, but a New York jury found him not guilty of all charges.
Trump announced on Dec. 8 that Alina Habba, a lawyer who has represented the president-elect in court proceedings in recent years, would serve as an adviser to the president.
“She has been unwavering in her loyalty, and unmatched in her resolve – standing with me through numerous ‘trials,’ battles, and countless days in Court,” Trump said in a statement.
Trump on Dec. 8 said he will tap Michael Anton for State Department director of policy planning. Anton was a member of the National Security Council during Trump’s first term.
Trump announced on Dec. 8 that he is chosen Michael Needham to serve as counselor of the Department of State. Needham previously served as chief of staff for Sen. Marco Rubio, Trump’s pick to lead the State Department.
“He has been on the front lines of the fight for America’s forgotten men and women for nearly two decades and will do a wonderful job in the state,” Trump wrote on social media as he pronounced his choice.
Trump announced on December 8 that he would nominate Christopher Landau to be deputy secretary of state. Landau was the US ambassador to Mexico during Trump’s first term.
“He is also one of our country’s wonderful lawyers and served Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas on the United States Supreme Court,” Trump said on social media.
On Dec. 5, Trump announced that Rodney Scott would be his choice to lead U. S. Customs and Border Protection.
Scott served as chief of the U. S. Border Patrol. The U. S. has been in office since 2020, Trump’s first term, and briefly after President Biden took office. He began his career at the firm in 1992.
“Rodney served nearly three decades in the Border Patrol, building vast experience and knowledge in Law Enforcement and Border Security,” Trump said in social media post.
Scott has been an outspoken critic of the Biden administration’s policies on the U. S. -Mexico border. If introduced in the Senate, it would update the current commissioner, Troy Miller.
Last month, Trump said that immediately after taking office, he would impose 25 percent price lists on goods from Mexico and Canada until either country stopped the passage of drugs and migrants across the border at will.
It has approximately 60,000 workers and is guilty of fighting terrorism, combating transnational crime, securing borders, and facilitating industry and travel.
Trump announced on December 5 that he had selected former Georgia senator David Perdue as the US ambassador to China.
In a Truth Social post, Trump said Perdue “brings valuable expertise to help build our relationship with China.”
Perdue, a wealthy businessman and close Trump ally, served in the Senate from 2015 until 2021, when he lost his bid for reelection to Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff in a runoff. He also ran an unsuccessful gubernatorial race in the 2022 Republican primary in an effort to unseat Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp.
Last month, Trump said he planned to impose new 10% price lists on all imports from China as soon as he takes office, as well as 25% price lists on products from Canada and Mexico. inflation and cause an industrial war.
Trump announced on Dec. 5 that he is selecting venture capitalist David Sacks to be his so-called “White House A.I. & Crypto Czar.”
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said Sacks “will guide the administration’s policy on synthetic intelligence and cryptocurrency, two spaces that are critical to the long term of American competitiveness. “
It’s unclear exactly what Sacks’ role will consist of. The move comes one day after Trump selected Paul Atkins as his pick to lead the Securities and Exchange Commission. Atkins has been a major proponent of cryptocurrency. On the same day that Atkins was named, the price of Bitcoin surpassed the $100,000 mark for the first time ever, a major milestone for the industry.
Sacks, who played a key role in PayPal’s progress, was its chief operating officer and later founded the social networking service Yammer. He has also been an angel investor in primaries such as SpaceX, Uber and Palantir.
Sacks, a former supporter of Democrat Hillary Clinton, supported Trump and Vice President-elect J. D. Vance in the last election cycle and was an early adopter of Trump’s tech ATM, urging his fellow Silicon Valley residents to donate to Trump.
He spoke at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee in July.
Trump announced Dec. 5 that he has tapped Caleb Vitello as his acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Vitello most recently serves as the deputy director of ICE’s Office of Firearms and Tactical Programs. In the past, he served as director of domestic law enforcement at the White House National Security Council during Trump’s first term.
ICE, first created in 2003, has more than 20,000 employees and an annual budget of about $8 billion. It is part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and is primarily tasked with immigration enforcement and combatting transnational crime and terrorism. Among its edicts is arresting undocumented immigrants.
Trump announced on December four that he would appoint Frank Bisignano to head the Social Security Administration. Bisignano is lately President and Chief Executive Officer of Fiserv, a monetary and bills generation company.
“Frank is a business leader, with a great track record in transforming giant companies,” Trump wrote on social media. “You will be responsible for maintaining the Agency’s commitment to fellow Americans for generations to come!”
Trump on Dec. 4 announced he is selecting former Sen. Kelly Loeffler of Georgia to lead the Small Business Administration.
In short, Loeffler served in the Senate between 2020 and 2021. She was appointed to the position following the resignation of former Georgia Senator Johnny Isakson, but lost her bid for a full term about a year later to incumbent Senator Raphael Warnock in a runoff. Formation
In a message posted on his Truth Social platform, Trump said: “Kelly will bring her expertise to business and Washington to reduce bureaucracy and unlock opportunities for our small businesses to grow, innovate and prosper. She will work toward that. ” The SBA is accountable to taxpayers by cracking down on waste, fraud and regulatory overreach.
Loeffler, a Trump loyalist, has helped efforts to overturn the effects of the 2020 election. She was a co-owner of the Atlanta Dream WNBA team, but sold the franchise in 2021 after receiving backlash for publicly criticizing the league for its black color. Lives Matter Movement.
He was also the subject of a brief investigation through the Senate Ethics Committee into allegations of insider trading before the pandemic, but that investigation dropped.
Trump announced in December that he had selected Paul Atkins to lead the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Atkins, a cryptocurrency advocate, served as commissioner of the SEC from 2002 to 2008, appointed through President George W. Bush of the time. He is currently CEO of Patomak Global Partners.
In his announcement on Truth Social, Trump called Atkins a “recognized leader in commonsense regulation” who “believes in the promise of robust, cutting-edge capital markets that respond to investors’ desires” and “that provide capital to make our economy the world’s. “
If it is introduced in the Senate, it will update current SEC Chairman Gary Gensler, who has been competitive in his oversight of the crypto industry.
During his presidential campaign, Trump pledged to fire Gensler, who has since announced he would resign from office on Jan. 20, despite serving a five-year term through 2026.
Florida Sheriff Chad Chronister announced on social media on Dec. 3 that he was dropping his bid for DEA leadership after Trump hired him to run the firm on Nov. 30.
Chronicer has served as sheriff of Hillsborough County in Florida since 2017. Hillsborough County encompasses much of the Tampa Bay area. He has been in ministry for 32 years.
The DEA, a component of the Justice Department, has around 10,000 workers and is responsible for enforcing US drug laws. One of his key decrees considers the opioid crisis.
Trump announced on December 2 that he would tap Republican donor Warren Stephens as the next ambassador to the United Kingdom. Trump called Stephens, chief executive of investment bank Stephens Inc. , “one of the most successful entrepreneurs” in the United States and said he “always dreamed of serving America full time. “
Trump announced on Dec. 1 that he had chosen businessman Massad Boulos as his senior adviser on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs. Trump described Boulos, the father of Tiffany Trump’s husband, as a “negotiator. ”
Trump on Nov. 30 announced that he planned to nominate Kash Patel as FBI director.
Current FBI Director Chris Wray would have to voluntarily vacate the position or be fired by Trump if he is to be replaced before his term ends in 2027.
A source has told CBS News in the past that Trump’s team was aware of the complexities surrounding Wray’s ouster.
Patel held intelligence and defense positions during Trump’s first term, adding chief of staff to Secretary of Defense.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump called Patel “a brilliant lawyer, investigator and ‘America First’ fighter who has spent his career exposing corruption, protecting justice and protecting the American people. ”
The 44-year-old Patel served in intelligence and defense roles in Trump’s first term, including chief of staff to the secretary of defense. He was also designated by Trump to be a representative to the National Archives and Records Administration and testified before a federal grand jury in the Mar-a-Lago classified documents case.
He is an attorney and staunch Trump loyalist who rose to prominence as an aide to former Republican Rep. Devin Nunes of California, fighting the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
The University College London graduate served on Trump’s National Security Council, then as a senior adviser to acting director of national intelligence Ric Grenell and later as a leader to acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller.
Patel published an e-book in 2023 called “Government Gangsters,” which received praise from Trump and in which Patel writes that “the FBI has committed itself so absolutely that it will continue to be a risk to others unless clampdown is taken. “to be taken. “
“This is the roadmap to ending deep state rule,” Trump said on Truth Social in September 2023.
—Libby Cathey, Jake Rosen, Fin Gómez and Ed O’Keefe
Trump announced on Nov. 30 that he has picked real estate developer Charles Kushner, father of his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, to be his ambassador to France.
Charles Kushner, 70, was pardoned through Trump in his first term for a 2005 federal conviction on 18 counts of aiding and abetting the filing of false tax returns, retaliation against a cooperating witness and false statements to the FEC, for which Kushner was sentenced to two years in prison. prison. This case was prosecuted through the former governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie.
Jared Kushner served as a senior adviser to Trump during his first term. He is married to Trump’s daughter, Ivanka.
In a post to Truth Social announcing the decision, Trump called Kushner a “tremendous business leader, philanthropist, & dealmaker, who will be a strong advocate representing our Country & its interests.”
Trump announced retired Gen. Keith Kellogg as the envoy for Ukraine and Russia in a Nov. 27 post on social media, writing that he “has led a distinguished Military and Business career, including serving in highly sensitive National Security roles in my first Administration.”
Kellogg served as National Security Council staff leader and national security advisor during former Vice President Mike Pence Trump’s first term. He will serve as assistant to the president and special envoy for Ukraine and Russia ahead of the third anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Trump said he plans to nominate Jim O’Neill as deputy secretary of Health and Human Services. O’Neill held several positions at HHS and was principal associate assistant secretary in the George W. He also served as executive director of the Thiel Foundation from 2009 to 2012.
“Jim and RFK Jr. will fight in unison to ensure every American, and especially our most precious resource, our children, will live long and healthy lives and, Make America Great and Healthy Again!” Trump said Nov. 26.
Trump announced Nov. 26 he has selected Jamieson Greer to serve as U.S. trade representative. Grier, a trade lawyer, would be a primary part of Trump’s plans to enact sweeping tariffs if confirmed. Trump noted in his announcement that Greer “played a key role during my First Term in imposing Tariffs on China” when he served under then-U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer.
Trump announced on November 26 that he had selected Jay Bhattacharya as director of the National Institutes of Health. The president-elect said Bhattacharya would “work cooperatively with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. , Trump’s pick for HHS secretary,” to lead the nation’s medical studies and make important discoveries that will improve health and save lives.
Bhattacharya is most recently director of Stanford’s Center for Demography and the Economics of Health and Aging. He was one of the authors of the Great Barrington Declaration, an open letter opposing widespread COVID-19 lockdowns before a vaccine was available and advocating for people’s health. return to life as usual to develop herd immunity and at the same time “better protect those who are healthy. “
“Together, Jay and RFK Jr. will repair NIH to gold in medical studies examining the underlying reasons for and responses to America’s greatest health challenges, adding to our chronic disease crisis,” Trump said.
The president-elect chose businessman John Phelan as Secretary of the Navy. Phelan is co-founder and president of the investment firm Rugger Management, in Palm Beach, Florida, and co-founder of MSD Capital, the personal investment company of Dell Technologies founder and CEO Michael Dell.
Phelan served in the military.
“His incredible knowledge and experience will elevate the lives of the brave Americans who serve our Nation,” Trump said in his announcement on Nov. 26. “John will deliver real results for our Navy and our Country. I look forward to working with him.”
Trump announced on November 26 that Vince Haley would serve as director of his Domestic Policy Council. Haley was director of policy and speechwriting for the president-elect’s 2024 campaign. He was also a key figure in the speechwriting branch during Trump’s first term.
Brooke Rollins has been tapped to lead the United States Department of Agriculture, Trump announced on November 23.
Rollins was part of Trump’s first term as director of the Domestic Policy Council. She is currently president of the America First Policy Institute, a right-wing think tank.
“Brooke’s commitment to supporting American farmers, defending American food self-sufficiency, and restoring small Americans who depend on agriculture is second to none,” Trump said in his statement.
On Nov. 22, Trump announced that he would nominate hedge fund CEO Scott Bessent as Treasury secretary.
Bessent, 62, is the founder of Connecticut-based hedge fund Key Square Group, and had been making a full-court press for the post to Trump, according to a source deeply involved in transition planning.
In a statement, Trump said he was “most pleased to nominate” Bessent, describing him as “widely respected as one of the world’s foremost international investors and geopolitical and economic Strategists.”
Bessent, like Trump, advocates tariffs, viewing them as a way to raise revenue and protect American industries.
He previously worked for billionaire investor George Soros, a prominent donor to liberal causes, for nearly a decade in the 1990s, and at one point was the executive director of Soros’ hedge fund.
Bessent is also gay and he and his husband, former New York prosecutor John Freeman, have two children. If confirmed, Bessent would be the first gay member of a Republican administration confirmed by the Senate. Bessent, a native of South Carolina, graduated from Yale University.
Trump announced he will nominate Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer of Oregon, a first-term Republican, to head the Department of Labor.
He lost his re-election bid to Democratic rival Janelle Bynum in the race for Oregon’s 5th Congressional District.
“Lori has worked tirelessly with both Business and Labor to build America’s workforce, and support the hardworking men and women of America,” Trump said in a statement announcing his choice on Nov. 22.
Teamsters head Sean O’Brien posted a statement thanking Trump for “putting American workers first” with the choice.
On Nov. 22, Trump announced he will name Dr. Janette Nesheiwat to be the nation’s next surgeon general.
Neshiwat is a dual-certified physician practicing in New York City, where she is currently medical director of the CityMD chain of urgent care centers. She is a medical contributor for Fox News.
In a statement, Trump praised her as “a fierce advocate and strong communicator for preventive medicine and public health.”
He noted, “During the COVID-19 pandemic, she worked on the front lines in New York City treating thousands of Americans and helped patients in the aftermath of President Donald Trump’s Historic Operation Warp Speed that saved hundreds of millions of lives.”
Dr. Marty Makary was named commissioner of Trump’s Food and Drug Administration on November 22.
Makary is a surgeon at Johns Hopkins and professor at Johns Hopkins Carey Business School.
Markary has also long been an ally of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s selection for secretary of Health and Human Services, and well liked in so-called “health freedom” circles.
The FDA is an agency within the HHS, and Trump in his statement said that Makary will “work under the leadership of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Makary gave the impression of promoting concepts contrary to those of conventional medicine, suggesting that “natural immunity” reduced people’s desire to get vaccinated. He also said that many young people did not want to be vaccinated against the disease.
Scott Turner, former NFL player, selected by Trump on November 22 to be his secretary at the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Turner served in Trump’s first term as executive director of the White House Council on Revitalization and Opportunity. Turner is also the highest-ranking black user to be elected that way during Trump’s administration, according to the Associated Press.
Trump has chosen former Rep. Dave Weldon, who is also a Florida physician, to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Weldon, who served in Congress for 14 years, was first elected in 1994. He has also been a doctor for 40 years, Trump noted. In 2012, four years after leaving the House, Weldon ran for Senate but lost in the GOP primary. .
Weldon is a conservative Christian who also participated in the 2005 fight over whether to remove the feeding tube keeping Terri Schiavo, a brain-damaged woman whose husband authorized a state court to let her die, be removed. Weldon filed a bill to force federal review of the matter.
Weldon believed that Schiavo was not in a vegetative state. While in Congress, he served on the House Oversight Committee, the Labor/HHS Appropriations Subcommittee, and worked on budget issues involving the Department of Health and Human Services and the CDC.
Trump, in announcing Weldon’s nomination, said he would “prioritize transparency, competition and the highest standards at the CDC. ”
Trump said Nov. 22 he will name Russ Vought as OMB director. Vought served in this role in the latter part of the first Trump administration.
Vought helped draft the conservative Heritage Foundation’s Plan 2025, which is a detailed plan for the next Republican president to usher in a sweeping overhaul of the executive branch.
He served as political director of the Republican National Committee’s 2024 Platform Committee, which followed the Republican Party’s platform at the July convention.
On Nov. 21, the same day Trump’s first pick for the job, former GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida withdrew from consideration as attorney general, the president-elect announced the former attorney general of Florida, Pam Bondi, would be his new nominee.
Bondi served two terms as Florida attorney general and was the first woman to win election to office in 2010. She was a staunch best friend of Trump and defended him in his first impeachment trial.
Bondi later worked with Linda McMahon and other Trump allies at the America First Policy Institute, a right-wing tank that has been devising and peddling conservative policies since 2021.
On Nov. 14, Trump made one of his first Cabinet announcements, ally and embattled Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general. The pick was immediately met with backlash, especially since the House Ethics Committee had been investigating Gaetz for alleged illicit drug use and sexual misconduct. Gaetz resigned from Congress shortly afterward and said he did not intend to serve in the new Congress, putting into question if the House Ethics report would ever be released from the public.
But Gaetz’s nomination collapsed within a week. On November 21, he withdrew his candidacy for attorney general, saying that “Trump’s Justice Department will have to be up and running on day one. ” Trump temporarily nominated former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi to update Gaetz. Gaetz said his resignation from the 119th Congress would stand and the House Ethics Committee ultimately rescinded release of the report.
Trump announced he has chosen Pete Hoekstra to serve as U.S. ambassador to Canada. Hoekstra, the current chair of the Michigan Republican Party and a former congressman who represented Michigan’s 2nd district, also served as U.S. ambassador to the Netherlands during Trump’s first term.
“He did an outstanding job as United States Ambassador to the Netherlands during our first four years, and I am confident that he will continue to represent our Country well in this new role,” Trump wrote on social media on Nov 20.
Trump announced that he had selected Matthew Whitaker, his former acting U. S. attorney general, as the U. S. ambassador to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. He said in a statement that Whitaker would “strengthen relationships with our NATO allies and provide companionship in the face of threats to peace and stability. ”
Whitaker, 55, has a background in law, not foreign policy. He appointed U. S. Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa through George W. Bush.
Whitaker served as Trump’s acting attorney general for a few months, from November 2018 to February 2019.
Trump announced that he had selected Linda McMahon to lead the Department of Education. McMahon, a former wrestling executive, led Trump’s first term at the Small Business Administration and is co-chair of his transition team for 2024.
“As Secretary of Education, Linda will fight tirelessly to expand “Choice” to every State in America, and empower parents to make the best Education decisions for their families,” Trump said in a statement on Nov. 19. “We will send Education BACK TO THE STATES, and Linda will spearhead that effort.”
During the campaign, Trump pledged to shut down the department, complaining that the agency’s budget is too large and that its staff “in many cases hate our children.”
McMahon and her husband, WWE mogul Vince McMahon, have been friends with Trump for more than 20 years and are among his biggest donors.
Trump chose Dr. Mehmet Oz, a prominent central surgeon who hosted a television show in daylight hours, to lead the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, or CMS. The firm is under the Department of Health and Human Services and oversees Medicare, the federal part of the Medicaid program, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and the federal fitness insurance marketplace.
“The United States is facing a physical care crisis and there is arguably no doctor more qualified and capable than Dr. Oz to get America back in shape,” Trump said in a statement. communicated on November 19. ” He is a world-class physician, cardiac surgeon, inventor, and communicator who has been at the forefront of physical life for decades.
The president-elect said Oz will work with Kennedy, if he is confirmed to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, “to take on the illness industrial complex, and all the horrible chronic diseases left in its wake.” He also indicated there may be cuts to CMS, writing that Oz “will also cut waste and fraud within our country’s most expensive government agency, which is a third of our nation’s healthcare spend, and a quarter of our entire national budget.”
Oz defeated Democrat John Fetterman in the 2022 Pennsylvania Senate race after receiving Trump’s endorsement.
Trump announced on Nov. 19 his intent to nominate billionaire Howard Lutnick as commerce secretary. The president-elect said Lutnick “will lead our tariff and trade agenda” and oversee the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.
Lutnick, CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald, was a co-chairman of Trump’s transition and a major donor to his campaign.
Citing his role in the transition, Trump said Lutnick “created the most complicated procedure and formula to create the greatest management America has ever known. “
Trump announced on Nov. 18 that he would nominate former Congressman Sean Duffy as Secretary of Transportation. Duffy represented Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District from 2011 to 2019, and served on the House Financial Services Committee, and before that was the district attorney of Ashland County, Wisconsin. After leaving Congress, he joined Fox News as a contributor and now co-hosts a show on Fox Business.
“He will prioritize Excellence, Competence, Competitiveness and Beauty when rebuilding America’s highways, tunnels, bridges and airports. He will ensure our ports and dams serve our Economy without compromising our National Security,” Trump said in a statement. He also noted that Duffy is married to Fox News’ Rachel Campos-Duffy and is the father of nine children.
Trump announced on Nov. 17 that he’s chosen Brendan Carr, an Elon Musk ally and a critic of big tech, to head the Federal Communications Commission. Trump called Carr a “warrior for Free Speech.”
Carr is currently the most sensible Republican on the FCC, which oversees television and radio licensing, home internet prices and other communication issues in the United States.
Trump has selected Chris Wright, CEO of Liberty Energy, to lead the US Department of Energy.
Trump also said Nov. 16 that Wright would serve on the newly created National Energy Council, which will be chaired by North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Trump’s pick for Interior Secretary.
Trump said in his announcement that the council “will oversee America’s path to mastery of power. ”
Wright has defended the development of oil and fuels, adding fracking, and has said: “There is no climate crisis nor are we in the midst of a transition of power. »
Steven Cheung was a top spokesman for Trump’s presidential campaign, serving as its director of communications. He is returning to the White House after working as director of strategic response during Trump’s first term. His title will be assistant to the president and director of communications.
Trump announced Cheung and Gor’s selections together, saying in a statement that he is “thrilled to have them join my White House as we, Make America Great Again!”
Karoline Leavitt, who was the national press secretary for Trump’s presidential campaign, will be White House press secretary. She worked in the White House during Trump’s first term as assistant press secretary.
“Karoline is intelligent and has proven to be a very effective communicator. I am confident that she will excel on the podium,” Trump said in a Nov. 15 statement.
The 27-year-old previously ran an unsuccessful race for Congress in New Hampshire.
Todd Blanche has been tapped to serve as deputy attorney general, the second-highest position in the Justice Department. Blanche defended Trump at his “hush money” trial in New York. (Trump was found guilty in that case; he denied wrongdoing and promised to appeal. )
Trump tapped Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, saying on Nov. 14 that he would take on the “food industrial complex and pharmaceutical corporations that have engaged in deception, misinformation and disinformation” and that “It would make America healthy again. ” »
Kennedy has a long history of criticizing vaccines and spreading misleading claims about their safety.
Kennedy has pledged to fight an “epidemic” of chronic diseases and believes that large pharmaceutical and food corporations are to blame for a wide variety of diseases. He said a number of fitness disorders have worsened due to federal inaction, adding autism, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, sleep disorders, infertility rates, diabetes and obesity. He also advocated for eliminating fluoride from drinking water.
Kennedy ran for president as an independent, but dropped out of the race in August and Trump.
Trump appointed former Republican Rep. Doug Collins of Georgia to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs, taking a Cabinet position with an Army veteran.
Collins served in Congress from 2013 to 2021 and, as the top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, defended Trump during his first impeachment hearing.
“We will have to take care of our brave men and women in uniform,” Trump said Nov. 14 when making his selection.
Speaking Nov. 14 at Mar-a-Lago during a gala hosted by the right-leaning think tank the America First Policy Institute, Trump said he planned to formally nominate North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum as Interior secretary.
“Actually, he’s gonna head the Department of the Interior, and he’s gonna be fantastic,” Trump told the crowd. Burgum was also in attendance.
Burgum ran against Trump for the Republican nomination before dropping out in December and endorsing Trump the following month. He was also at one point on a shortlist to be Trump’s running mate.
When asked by reporters before the gala about the option of joining the Trump administration, Burgum replied, “There’s been a lot of discussion about a lot of other things. And. . . like I said. . . nothing. It’s true until you read it. “
Trump made the announcement official on Nov. 15, saying Burgum would also head “the newly formed and very vital National Energy Council. ” Trump said the council would come with all departments and agencies involved in “the authorization, generation, distribution, regulation and transmission of ALL American energy bureaucracy. ”
Trump announced that he had selected former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard as his director of national intelligence.
“For more than two decades, Tulsi fought for our country and for the freedoms of all Americans,” he said in a Nov. 13 statement.
Gabbard served in the Army National Guard and represented Hawaii in the House from 2013 to 2021 before becoming an independent in 2022. In his statement, Trump said she “is now a proud Republican!” Gabbard ran for president in the Democratic primaries in 2020.
Gabbard has no intelligence background and opposes U. S. intervention in the Ukraine war. His perspectives on Russia and his 2017 meeting with Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad sparked controversy.
Sergio Gor, co-founder and director of Donald Trump Jr. ‘s publishing company, Winning Team Publishing, will play the key role leading the Office of Presidential Personnel in the new Trump administration, the president-elect announced.
Gor also ran the pro-Trump super PAC Right for America, which he funded in part through billionaire Ike Perlmutter and raised about $80 million to help Trump’s 2024 White House bid.
The PPO director controls thousands of administrative appointees. The office was previously led by John McEntee at the end of the first Trump administration.
—Fin Gómez and Jake Rosen
Trump announced that four of his most sensible advisers — Dan Scavino, Stephen Miller, James Blair and Taylor Budowich — who worked on his presidential crusade would join him in the White House as members of his core team. All of them will serve as assistants to the president and deputy chiefs of staff responsible for overseeing the express areas.
“Dan, Stephen, James and Taylor were the advisers to my winning campaign, and I know they will honorably serve the other Americans in the White House,” Trump said on Nov. 13. . »
Scavino will serve as deputy chief of staff and is described by Trump as one of his “longest and most trusted aides. ” He served as deputy chief of staff for communications and social media director during Trump’s first term.
Miller, who also worked in the White House for Trump during his first four years in office, will return as deputy chief of staff for policy and national security adviser. Miller pleaded with the president-elect for his first term and evolved the administration’s strict immigration policies.
Blair will serve as deputy leader for legislative, political and public affairs. He served as political director of Trump’s crusade and the Republican National Committee, overseeing a portfolio of political operations and programs, the president-elect said.
Budowich named deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel. He held a leadership position at Trump’s Save America PAC and executive director of super PAC MAGA Inc.
Trump said Nov. 13 he intends to nominate Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida to be secretary of state. The selection marks some distance from when Trump and the Florida senator were rivals in the 2016 Republican primaries.
Rubio, 53, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the top Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee, is a China hawk with extensive foreign policy experience.
Trump announced on Nov. 12 that he would nominate former Fox News host Pete Hegseth to lead the Department of Defense.
“Pete has spent his entire life as a Warrior for the Troops, and for the Country. Pete is tough, smart and a true believer in America First. With Pete at the helm, America’s enemies are on notice – Our Military will be Great Again, and America will Never Back Down,” the president-elect said in a statement.
Trump praised Hegseth’s military record as an Army combat veteran who served in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay.
Hegseth, 44, co-hosted “Fox & Friends Weekends” and the e-book “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,” which denounces what he calls “distortion, wokeness, and caustic politics”. of our existing army.
Trump confirmed in a statement on Nov. 12 that South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem is his pick to run DHS, praising her as “very strong on Border Security.”
Noem, who was elected governor in 2018 after serving eight years in the House, supported Trump’s bid for reelection in 2023 and joined him at several campaign rallies. She had been noted as a possible vice presidential candidate earlier in the campaign.
Noem sparked controversy earlier this year when his new book, “No Going Back,” falsely claimed that he met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and that he shot and killed his 14-month-old dog Cricket after failing training.
Former U. S. Rep. John Ratcliffe, who was director of national intelligence during Trump’s first term, is the choice for CIA director.
The president-elect announced the appointment in a social media post on Nov. 12, praising Ratcliffe for investigating Hunter Biden and the FBI’s use of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.
“John Ratcliffe has been a warrior of facts and honesty with the American public,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. And highlighting Ratcliffe’s role in his first administration, Trump said. “I look ahead and see that John will be the first user to hold the two highest intelligence positions in our nation. “
The president-elect has selected Mike Huckabee, the former governor of Arkansas, as U. S. ambassador to Israel. The position calls for Senate confirmation.
“Mike has been a wonderful public servant, governor, and devoted leader for many years,” Trump said in a statement on Nov. 12. “He loves Israel and the rest of the people of Israel, and in the same way, the other people of Israel love him. . . Mike will work tirelessly to bring peace to the Middle East!
Huckabee served as Arkansas’ governor from 1996 to 2007 and unsuccessfully sought the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and 2016. After leaving office, he hosted a show on Fox News and a radio program.
On November 12, Trump announced that he would nominate his billionaire best friend Elon Musk and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, a former rival leader of the Republican Party, to lead a new Department of Government Effectiveness, called DOGE, which is also the name of a cryptocurrency promoted by Musk. .
“I am pleased to announce that the wonderful Elon Musk, along with American patriot Vivek Ramaswamy, will lead the Department of Government Effectiveness (“DOGE”). Together, those two glorious Americans will pave the way for my administration to dismantle the government. “This will send shockwaves through the formula and everyone involved in the government,” Trump said in a statement, adding a quote from Musk, who said, “Waste, that’s a lot of people!”
Trump’s statement indicated their roles may not be formally part of the government but would “provide advice and guidance from outside.” He said their work “will conclude no later than July 4, 2026.”
Trump has presented the position of US ambassador to the United Nations to Representative Elise Stefanik.
Stefanik, who represents a district in upstate New York, is a loyal and unwavering best friend of Trump and the fourth House Republican as chair of the House Republican Conference.
“I am revered to nominate President Elise Stefanik to serve in my cabinet as U. S. ambassador to the United Nations. Elise is an incredibly strong, tough, and intelligent fighter for America First,” Trump said in a statement on Nov. 11.
Stefanik dropped out of the convention chair race, confirming in a letter to fellow Republicans that she had spoken with Trump and “shared how deeply revered I am for settling for his nomination. “
The role of ambassador to the UN requires Senate confirmation.
Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla. , has been named national security adviser. Trump praised his military record and his experience in China, Russia, Iran and terrorism.
“Mike has been a strong supporter of my ‘America First’ foreign policy timeline and will be a super supporter of our pursuit of peace through strength!” the president-elect said in a statement on Nov. 11 .
Waltz, a Green Beret veteran who served combat missions in Afghanistan, the Middle East and Africa, was elected to Congress in 2018, replacing Ron DeSantis, who was elected governor of Florida.
Waltz, a Chinese hawk, is a member of the House of Representatives Working Group on China that aims to broaden responses to combat the influence of the Chinese Communist Party. He is also skeptical about providing more aid to Ukraine as it fights Russia’s invasion.
Trump announced in November that he would nominate former New York Republican Congressman Lee Zeldin to lead the Environmental Protection Agency.
“Lee, with a very strong legal background, has been a true fighter for America First policies. He will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards,” Trump said in a statement.
Zeldin wrote: “I am honored to join President Trump’s Cabinet as EPA Administrator. “
Zeldin represented New York’s 1st Congressional District, on Long Island, from 2015 to 2023, and he ran for governor in 2022 but was defeated by Gov. Kathy Hochul.
Trump announced on Nov. 10 that Tom Homan will serve as “border czar” in his incoming administration. Homan was the acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement during the first Trump administration.
“I am pleased to announce that former ICE Director and border pillar Tom Homan will be joining the Trump administration as it relates to our nation’s borders,” the president-elect wrote on his Truth website. Social.
In addition to overseeing the southern and northern borders and “maritime and air security,” Trump said Homan “would be in charge of all deportations of illegal extraterrestrial beings to their home countries,” a major theme of Trump’s campaign.
This role requires Senate confirmation.
Homan was recently interviewed through Cecilia Vega of 60 Minutes before the election. During the conversation, he said Trump’s mass deportation plan would be implemented.
“I hear a lot of other people say, you know, talking about mass deportation is racist. Is. . . is. . . it is a risk for the immigrant community. It’s not a risk to the immigrant community,” Homan said. “A risk to the illegal immigrant community. But in the wake of a historic illegal immigration crisis. This will have to be done. “
Within a day of winning the election, Trump announced his campaign co-chair Susie Wiles would be his chief of staff. Wiles, an experienced Florida-based political operative based, will be the first woman in U.S. history to fill the role. Chief of staff isn’t a Senate-confirmed position, but it’s a prestigious position often considered to be part of the Cabinet.